title: Prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression in pancreas cancer and nodal metastasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of molecular markers in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) has the potential to guide targeted therapy. The objective of this study is to determine the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression (membrane and cytoplasmic) in resected PA and its correlation with lymph node metastasis and survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  EGFR overexpression was determined by immunohistochemistry, and the pattern of expression was compared between the primary tumour, adjacent normal pancreas and involved lymph nodes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 88 patients had curative resection. No difference was found in mEGFR overexpression between tumoural and metastatic nodal tissues (P = 0.28). Median overall survival time was 22.9 months. Overall cumulative 1-, 3- and 5-year survival was 48%, 20% and 18%, respectively. In positive mEGFR tumour expression, survival was 46% at 1 year, 8% at 3 years and 0% at 5 years (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that male gender, portal vein (PV) resection, perineural, lymphovascular and peri-pancreatic invasion, positive margins and positive mEGFR expression in tumour tissue had worse survival. Multivariate analysis showed that male gender, PV resection, vascular and perineural invasion remained independent predictors of poor survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive mEGFR overexpression is associated with decreased survival; however, it is not an independent prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Vinicius
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Andre Luis
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Montagnini
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coudry
authors.forename: Rosely
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patzina
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Penteado
authors.forename: Emilio Elias
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Abdo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jukemura
authors.forename: Jose Eduardo Monteiro
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: da Cunha
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: EGFR; cancer; pancreas; surgery; survival